It's election time once again in India. And the goons are grinning. From ear to ear. This is when all their hard work comes to fruition. The assualts, the rapes, the murders they committed. The longer the chargesheet, the more scared the voters and, hence, the better their chances of winning.
1300 cases are pending against MPs and MLAs in various courts. 40 of them were part of the Lok Sabha until yesterday. This is what the country's law minister, H R Bharadwaj, told the parliament recently. But these folks are standing now, for Lok Sabha elections. The poster boys are of course there: Laloo, Pappu, Amma, Shibu Soren, Shahabuddin, Mukhtar Ansari, Ajay Rai.....and now add Sanju Baba to the list.
The Supreme Court had disbarred convicted criminals from standing for elections. But, some of them are--as we speak--running for office from behind bars. Everyone knows the path to power in India: muscle->money->more muscle->more money.
Amidst all this, the silence of the Indian lambs--the voters--is ear-splitting.
Fatalists as we are, we continue to go out and vote for them. After all, we don't have much choice, do we? It is either Goon A, Goon B, or Goon C. If we vote, we put one of them into power. If we don't, the others will put one of them into power.
A few NGOs and intellectuals are maintaining a criminal watchlist for elections. Others, like Ramdev Baba, are vociferously campaigning for parties to those with criminal antecedents out of the fray. Of course, all this has already fallen on deaf ears.
On the other hand, the police--like in Pune, for instance--are rounding up "local criminal elements" to maintain peace and order, and reduce intimidation during the polls. That is like locking up the bear cubs while the bears are allowed to roam free.
It is the history-sheeter candidates who need to be thrown into jail when elections are announced and let off only after the government is formed (without them, of course). That would be a real 'model code of conduct'.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Capitulating Capitalism?
'American economy has fallen off a cliff'', Warren Buffet said recently. The rest of the world economies seem to perched precariously on the edge. It is a result of corporate greed and recklessness displayed by capitalism's poster boys such as Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns, which have since gone out of existence. Other such 'demonic' institutions, now utterly reviled by people, are being nationalised in a hurry or are being bailed out by governments around the world.
Capitalism seems to be going bust, just the way communism did a couple of decades ago. The reds are having a field day, with I-told-you-so smiles on their faces.
Back home in India, everyone from the economists to ministers to armchair analysts are singing hosannas to India's public sector units (PSUs), saying how their conservatism saved the country from a similar disaster. Their share prices are getting better valuations in the stock market while those of private players in the same industry, such as banking, manufacturing, etc. are being dumped by retail and institutional investors.
Do the PSUs really deserve the credit they are getting for saving us from the evils of capitalism?
I don't think so.
The PSUs are--when examined in an otherwise favourable environment--behemothic examples of inefficiency, sloth, lack of innovation and even sheer incompetence. They are clear examples of what an enterprise should not look like.
The PSU banks did not lend recklessly not because they were averse to greed, but just out of their sheer bureaucratic red-tape and don't-care attitude to growth or bottomlines. The fact that this saved them from huge loan default risks is just coincidental. That they did not take risks was not by design but by their lack of motivation.
Risk is what keeps the world going. If everyone avoided risk, there were would be no businesses, no goods and services sold and hence no economy. Of course, the risk is taken with the motive of profit, which is the raison-d'-etre of capitalism.
How much risk should be taken is a function of the environment in which you operate. That is why people keep buying shares when the prices have reached stratospheric levels (since they see the prices going up everyday), instead of selling, and sometimes lose their shirts.
But to say that the person who does not take any risk, does not invest, does not innovate (all out of the fear of going wrong) and hence saves his money, is wise is just plain stupid.
The one who risked his money in investments or an enterprise is the one who needs to be given a hand when he falls because of a false step.
So, while the world is engulfed in negativism about capitalism, that is the only way out if we are to become more efficient, competent, innovative and--ultimately--wealthy.
Capitalism seems to be going bust, just the way communism did a couple of decades ago. The reds are having a field day, with I-told-you-so smiles on their faces.
Back home in India, everyone from the economists to ministers to armchair analysts are singing hosannas to India's public sector units (PSUs), saying how their conservatism saved the country from a similar disaster. Their share prices are getting better valuations in the stock market while those of private players in the same industry, such as banking, manufacturing, etc. are being dumped by retail and institutional investors.
Do the PSUs really deserve the credit they are getting for saving us from the evils of capitalism?
I don't think so.
The PSUs are--when examined in an otherwise favourable environment--behemothic examples of inefficiency, sloth, lack of innovation and even sheer incompetence. They are clear examples of what an enterprise should not look like.
The PSU banks did not lend recklessly not because they were averse to greed, but just out of their sheer bureaucratic red-tape and don't-care attitude to growth or bottomlines. The fact that this saved them from huge loan default risks is just coincidental. That they did not take risks was not by design but by their lack of motivation.
Risk is what keeps the world going. If everyone avoided risk, there were would be no businesses, no goods and services sold and hence no economy. Of course, the risk is taken with the motive of profit, which is the raison-d'-etre of capitalism.
How much risk should be taken is a function of the environment in which you operate. That is why people keep buying shares when the prices have reached stratospheric levels (since they see the prices going up everyday), instead of selling, and sometimes lose their shirts.
But to say that the person who does not take any risk, does not invest, does not innovate (all out of the fear of going wrong) and hence saves his money, is wise is just plain stupid.
The one who risked his money in investments or an enterprise is the one who needs to be given a hand when he falls because of a false step.
So, while the world is engulfed in negativism about capitalism, that is the only way out if we are to become more efficient, competent, innovative and--ultimately--wealthy.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Battling for Bapu
A billion people heaved a collective sigh of relief on Friday morning, when news came in that one of their countrymen had bought personal belongings of their "Father of the nation", Mahatma Gandhi, that had come up for an international auction in New York.
The same folks were earlier seething over the possibility of a foreigner buying the memorabilia of a man who almost single-handedly freed them from foreign rule. Among the things up for auction were Bapu's trademark round glasses, his chappals, his famous pocketwatch and a mug and bowl. All these had, somehow,(the media has done a pathetic job of digging up and reporting on how) ended up with an LA-based documentary film-maker James Otis, who had put them up for auction through Antiquorum, a NY auctioneer.
Seeing the national outrage, a hitherto clueless government scrambled to prevent the auction. First, it tried to negotiate with James Otis. He said he would donate the contented items to the government if it would assure allocation of 5 per cent of the GDP to improve the condition of India's poor. Not acceptable, said a junior minister at a press conference, seemingly less outraged by the suggestion and more frustrated by the government's inability to stop an auction that could bring it unprecedented embarrassment just before facing a re-election.
They then brought in an injunction from the Delhi High Court staying the auction of the items. This was overruled by the US Dept of Justice which said the auction could go ahead. Even James Otis' own request to stop the auction was rejected by the auctioneers. Everyone called everyone else greedy and hypocrite and so on.
In the end, India's flamboyant liquor baron, Vijay Mallya, bought all the items for 1.8 million US dollars and pledged to donate them to the government.
Three cheers to Mallya, the Kingfisher owner who lives life kingsize.
Reviled by puritans so far for selling booze, envied by hedonists for flying around with top models in his private jet and generally looked down by other business tycoons for public display of his wealth, Mallya has--with one fell swoop--become a hero in the eyes of so many Indians for this gesture.
The striking irony is that the ascetic Bapu never attached any value to personal possessions and he waged a war against alcohol all his life. Nevertheless, Mallya must be surely singing the Kingfisher signature tune: Oo la la la e o....O la laa la le o.
The same folks were earlier seething over the possibility of a foreigner buying the memorabilia of a man who almost single-handedly freed them from foreign rule. Among the things up for auction were Bapu's trademark round glasses, his chappals, his famous pocketwatch and a mug and bowl. All these had, somehow,(the media has done a pathetic job of digging up and reporting on how) ended up with an LA-based documentary film-maker James Otis, who had put them up for auction through Antiquorum, a NY auctioneer.
Seeing the national outrage, a hitherto clueless government scrambled to prevent the auction. First, it tried to negotiate with James Otis. He said he would donate the contented items to the government if it would assure allocation of 5 per cent of the GDP to improve the condition of India's poor. Not acceptable, said a junior minister at a press conference, seemingly less outraged by the suggestion and more frustrated by the government's inability to stop an auction that could bring it unprecedented embarrassment just before facing a re-election.
They then brought in an injunction from the Delhi High Court staying the auction of the items. This was overruled by the US Dept of Justice which said the auction could go ahead. Even James Otis' own request to stop the auction was rejected by the auctioneers. Everyone called everyone else greedy and hypocrite and so on.
In the end, India's flamboyant liquor baron, Vijay Mallya, bought all the items for 1.8 million US dollars and pledged to donate them to the government.
Three cheers to Mallya, the Kingfisher owner who lives life kingsize.
Reviled by puritans so far for selling booze, envied by hedonists for flying around with top models in his private jet and generally looked down by other business tycoons for public display of his wealth, Mallya has--with one fell swoop--become a hero in the eyes of so many Indians for this gesture.
The striking irony is that the ascetic Bapu never attached any value to personal possessions and he waged a war against alcohol all his life. Nevertheless, Mallya must be surely singing the Kingfisher signature tune: Oo la la la e o....O la laa la le o.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Evil neighbours
We are extremely worrried about the security situation of our housing complex, generally known as "our society". Earlier this week, some guests to our neighbouring 'society' were hurt by some unruly elements in their premises. However, the administrators of that society said we had a hand in that untoward incident. This, they said, was our attempt at getting back at what people from their society did in our premises recently.
About 3 months ago, a bunch of their armed and dangerous residents walked into our society and indiscriminately hurt people in ours. We even managed to capture one, who confessed that he is from the neighbouring complex. But their administrators refuse to accept either the confession or the evidence we provided to them in the form of the vehicles they had used to enter our society.
We even appealed to the chief of the most powerful society in the city to put pressure on the office-bearers of this evil society so that the masterminds behind the tragic event could be caught and punished. But that society is itself grappling with severe financial problems caused by too much greed and extravagance.
Actually, we do not know what we have done to incur the wrath of our neighbours. We have always been kind to them. We have provided financial assistance sometimes and engaged in the most civilised behaviour by opening up a small route between the two complexes so neighbours can visit each other. We have had cricket matches between our respective team both here and in their premises. None of this has helped. They have continued to send in some trained miscreants who sneak in to our complex, steal our bikes, etc, burgle flats and hurt our residents.
While the neighbouring society administration refuses to accept responsibility, it continues to blame us whenever something wrong happens in their premises. They also indulge in systematic training of their people to come into our society and create trouble. In fact, there is a small area between our two premises, which actually belongs to them, but they seem to have lost control over it. Now there are lumpen elements living there, doing as they please and running riot, potentially threatening our security. The next-door management is so weak and useless that they even entered into a pact with these outlaws wherein they would not trouble them as long as they did not bother their other residents.
It is not that the security personnel at our security are stupid or cowardly. They are strong and raring to go. Just us give us a free hand and we will go kick their butt they say. But, then, our office-bearers are the wimps. Every time there is an election, they campaign saying they will straighten out the unruly neighbours. However, once they are in power, they start making grandiose gestures of peace and extend their hands in friendship. In turn, we get kicked in the teeth.
Maybe it's our fault after all. We are the morons who keep putting these wimps into power again and again.
About 3 months ago, a bunch of their armed and dangerous residents walked into our society and indiscriminately hurt people in ours. We even managed to capture one, who confessed that he is from the neighbouring complex. But their administrators refuse to accept either the confession or the evidence we provided to them in the form of the vehicles they had used to enter our society.
We even appealed to the chief of the most powerful society in the city to put pressure on the office-bearers of this evil society so that the masterminds behind the tragic event could be caught and punished. But that society is itself grappling with severe financial problems caused by too much greed and extravagance.
Actually, we do not know what we have done to incur the wrath of our neighbours. We have always been kind to them. We have provided financial assistance sometimes and engaged in the most civilised behaviour by opening up a small route between the two complexes so neighbours can visit each other. We have had cricket matches between our respective team both here and in their premises. None of this has helped. They have continued to send in some trained miscreants who sneak in to our complex, steal our bikes, etc, burgle flats and hurt our residents.
While the neighbouring society administration refuses to accept responsibility, it continues to blame us whenever something wrong happens in their premises. They also indulge in systematic training of their people to come into our society and create trouble. In fact, there is a small area between our two premises, which actually belongs to them, but they seem to have lost control over it. Now there are lumpen elements living there, doing as they please and running riot, potentially threatening our security. The next-door management is so weak and useless that they even entered into a pact with these outlaws wherein they would not trouble them as long as they did not bother their other residents.
It is not that the security personnel at our security are stupid or cowardly. They are strong and raring to go. Just us give us a free hand and we will go kick their butt they say. But, then, our office-bearers are the wimps. Every time there is an election, they campaign saying they will straighten out the unruly neighbours. However, once they are in power, they start making grandiose gestures of peace and extend their hands in friendship. In turn, we get kicked in the teeth.
Maybe it's our fault after all. We are the morons who keep putting these wimps into power again and again.
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